Green Lantern Emerald Warriors #1- I’ve liked his work before but I’m really impressed with Fernando Pasarin’s art in this issue and it really feels like he kicked it up a notch. This is a Tomasi GL book so I think I was going to like it regardless, but he’s got a great handle on Gardner’s personality and the plot of the plan hatched with Ganthet and Atrocitus is fairly intriguing. Looking forward to a good run here. A
Thor The Mighty Avenger #3- You guys! A version of Hank Pym that I don’t hate or think is a wife beating douchbag! It’s a miracle! But seriously, it makes sense that the best book Marvel is publishing right now actually introduces a version of a character that’s nearly impossible for me to find likable in current continuity. Plus, the pacing was great since they utilized the guest-star well for the actual plot developments while also introducing other aspects to this new continuity. Fantastic read. A+
Murderland #1- Hmmm. I wanted to like this more than I actually did, and while I do like David Hahn’s art the story was kind of a toss up. On one hand it’s just starting and working on building up, on the other hand it was kind of all over the place with no real solid focus on what was going on. Basically it’s about super-powered assassins doing stuff, I think. That’s kind of the best I can give you, because really it wasn’t that clear. And y’know, I don’t need everything given to me right off the bat but I need it to be a little more engaging. Not really bad, just not a strong first issue. It really didn't make me want to pick up the next issue, but I'll try to give it a shot. C+
Incredible Hulk #611- I haven’t been buying ANY of the current Hulk books or keeping track of much of the crossover, so I thought it would be a good test to just pick up this issue for the hell of it, and also because I like Pelletier art and it looked like there was some good smashing going on. And yes! This was a very smashy issue with pretty art, and I will say I was surprised by how easy it was to jump in and enjoy it. Without knowing any of the real specifics of the past year besides his son wants to kill him, this climax story was pretty much just the big fight between the Hulk and his son with some flashbacks to Bruce Banner’s father beating him as a child. It’s all kind of painfully obvious but handled in a decent way with a good fight, and once you ignore how friggin’ ridiculous it is that every damn superhero has a messed up kid these days it’s actually a pretty good issue. B
Superman #702- I’m still right on the fence as to whether this run is ‘ok’ (because it’s not amazing) or just obnoxious. First off, fantastic cover. I have no problem with the Barrows art so far in the run. He can draw great action and superheroics as well as just normal people and good facial expressions. Now, the fact that Straczynski tossed in an alien war machine and a big fight in his run that deals mostly with normal people and their problems kind of makes this feel like even he thought this stuff was going to get boring unless he threw in an actual sci-fi or superhero threat. I’m not saying the actual events of the issue were bad, although forcing immigration commentary into the story was obnoxious. I’m just saying they were out of place and kind of undermined the whole ‘connecting with everyday people’ plot a little. Stick with your guns and push forward if that’s what you want to do. B-
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